Coiling apparatus.



w. n. WEBSTER.

COILING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FiLED 1AN.9 T913- 1,12%,270 menmm r. 17, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

777m? Va A TTORNEYQ W. R. WEBSTER.

COILING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JAN-9.1913- 1 228 827 Patented Apr. 17,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A Tram/Em w. WEBISTER. COILING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JAN-9,1913. L$$2fifi7o Patented Apr. 17,1917;

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- WI T NESSES:

INVENTOR.

W Z W BY A g r v 1 ,ewfmb ATTORNEYS:

. a sans entrants oration.

WILLIAM R. WEBSTER, OF BRIDGEPOR'I, CONNECTICUT, .ASSIGNOR TO BRIDGEPOR'I BRASS COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- NECTICUT.

COILING APPARATUS.

meager.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Apr. 1?, 191 "3.

Application filed January 9, 1913; Serial No. 741,074.

'To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,'W1LI.IAM R. WEB- STER, a citizen of the United States, residing in Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in' Coiling Apparatus, of which the following is' a full, clear, and exact description.

In the art of cold rolling sheet metal in thin strips, it is customary to employ a coiling device known as a block for winding up the strip as itemerges from the rolls. Heretofore' it has been the common practice to employ a .power driven rotary .drum or block on whichthe strip of metal leaving the rolls is coiled by manual manipulation. This manipulation not only requires a high degree of skill and strength on the part of the operative but it is also dangerous, inasmuch as the fingers of the operative are extremely likely to be caught between the strip and the rotating block, thereby causing severe injury. It has been attempted to avoid this drawback by stopping the rolls after the strip has passed through them sufliciently far to engage the surface of the block or drum, and securing the strip in a slot or other device on the surface of the block, after which the rolls are again started up and power is applied to the block or drum to efi'ect the coiling. In other instances the strip has been coiled on the block by automatic devices inthe nature of mechanically operated fingers which coil the strip on the block by movements similar to those of the hands of the operative when the coiling is done manually. Both of these last described methods are nearly as objectionable as the manual coiling, for the first is extravagant in time and labor, and the second necessitates the use of complicated and very expensive apparatus.

The primary object of the present invention is to avoid all of the above defects by providing a new method of coiling which is very safe, simple and efficient. :It is also.

aimed to furnish an' automatic blocker which is of very simple, inexpensive construction and which operates very efl'ectively, without 1i elihood of getting out of order. My impr ed blocker is of the electromagnetic type, the drum or block proper being provided with a magnet or magnets which may be energized at the proper time to cause the strip to be held against. the

vide an electromagnetic blocker in which the block or drum is magnetized and demagnetized automatically. More particularly it is proposed to control the magnet or magnets automatically by means of the strip itself in such a manner that the block or drum will be energized when the end of the strip is brought sufiiciently near it to be in proper position for coiling. On the other hand, the block or drum is deenergized automatically when the strip reaches a defi nite position in which the magnetic attraction is no longer necessary. In the embodiments of my invention which are herein illustrated the magnet or magnets of the drum or block are included in a normally open electric circuit which is closed auto matically by a controlling circuit including the strip itself, and which is closed by the strip when the forward end of the latter reaches the drum or block and arrives in the stock for causing the block to wind the stock thereon; and to furnish a machine of the class described having means associated with the block for effecting the attachment of the stock thereto, and means for" causing the rotation of the block to wind the stock thereon, at least one of said means operating electrically through the stock in an automatic manner.

To these and other ends, my invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,

' Figure 1 is a diagramamtic side elevation of apparatus embodying my invention, as applied to the coiling of strips of steel or other magnetic material, the strip being shown in a position in which it has not reached the coiling drum or block, and the automatic switch being open,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of an installation for coiling strips of brass or other non-magnetic material,

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of aportion of Fig. 5 showing the magnetic carrier, and

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the magnetic carrier.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, 10 indicates a stand having rolls 11, 12 for reducing or otherwise.

working a strip 13 of steel or other magnetic material. The rolls 11, 12 are driven by suitable means such as an electric motor 10.

The strip '13 passes from the roll stand 10 to a power operated coiling block 14 rotated by means such as an electric motor 14 This block comprises a drum having one or more electromagnets, as illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 4. The drum 14 is provided with a commutator 15 by means of which current is furnished to the magnet or magnets through brushes 16 and 17 connected with the leads 18 and 19 respectively of a suitable magnet energizing circuit in cluding a enerator or other source of current (not lOWIl). One of the leads of the circuit, 18, 19, for instance the lead 19, is

normally interrupted by means of a gap between adjacent contacts 20 and 21. The magnetizing circuit is adapted to be opened and closed automatically by means of a solenoid switch 22 of any appropriate form adapted to connect and disconnect the contacts 20, 21. I have not deemed it expedient to show in the drawings a commercial form of solenoid switch, as the invention .will be more clearly understood from a diagrammatic illustration. In the example shown, the solenoid switch 22 comprises a coil, 23 having the usual core 24 normally held out of the coil bymean's such as a spring 25. The core 24 carries a contact 26 adapted to bridge the contacts 20 and 21 when the core is drawn into the coil by energizing the latter, but normally the contact piece or bridge 26 of the switch will be held away from the contact 20 and 21, as shown in Fig. 1. The solenoid coil 23 is connected with the commutator 15 by means of a lead 27 and brush 28, and it is also connected by means of a lead 29 with a battery 30 or other source of current and with a part which is in electrical communication with the metal strip as the latter passes to the block 14. In the form shown, the lead 29 is connected with the lower roll 12 by means of a brush 31,v whereby the stand 10 and the strip 13 are ever, when the ably insulated from the roll standlO and normally the controlling circuit is interrupted by the ga between said parts; Howfdrward end of the strip 13 emerging from the rolls 11, 12 is brought in contact with the drum 14 included in the, controlling circuit, the latter will be closed;--

and the switch 22 will be automaticallv j closed in the manner hereinafter described.

The metal strip 13 is preferably led over the top of the coilingdrum or block 14, as. shown. Moreover, it is preferably pressed A down against the block 14 by. means of a roll 32 mounted parallel to the axis of the block; 14 in a frame 33 pivoted on a pintle 34 so as to permit the roll or block 32 to be swung away from the block 14. The roll 32 is adjustably held in the desired vertical position by means such as a set screw 35on which the frame 33 rests.

The strip 13 emerging from the rolls 11, 12 may be supported by hand and carried to the block 14, or it may travel from the. rolls to the block in a suitable guide 36. I have only indicated the guide diagrammatically as the construction and function of these devices are well understood in the'art.

The operation of the improved apparatus as carried out in coiling a strip of steel or other magnetic material is substantially as follows: Normally the magnetic circuit-i. e. the circuit including the magnet or magnets of the block 14 and the leads 18 and 19, will be interrupted by the action of the spring 25 or its equivalent acting on the solenoid core 24 and holding the contact 26 out of cooperation with the contacts 20 and 21. The controlling circuit 11. e. the cir-' cuit including the battery 30 or other source of electricity, and the solenoid coil 23, will also be interrupted. In the operation of rolling the strip by the rolls of the stand 10 both of these circuits will be open, (the' block 14 being demagnetized) until the for- Ward end of the strip moves through the guide 36 into contact with the block 14 or is otherwise brought into contact with the same; The block 14 is rotated by its motor 5 14 at a surface-speed approximately equal to that of the rolls 11,12. The strip is guided or. conducted between the block 14 and roll 32, and as soon as it contacts with. the former, the gap between the insulated roll stand and block will be closed by the strip itself, thereby closing the controlling circuit and energizing the solenoid to connect the contacts 20 and 2 1. This in turn closes the magnetic circuit and energizes 5 the magnet or magnets of the block 14. Hence the forward end of the strip 13, which is pressed against the block 14 by the roll 32,

will be held against the revolving block by .be wound tightly on the block 14 block continues to rotate and the strip con-.

tinues to advance, the latter will wind around the block in the manner shown in Fig. 2. In this manner the coiling operation will bestarted, and as the strip continuesto emerge from the rolls 11, 12 it will in an obvious manner, the presser roll '32 being raised. and moved away from the block 14 as the diameter of the coil continues to increase, as will befunderstood. The magnetization of the block 14 causes all the layers of the strip coiled on the block to adhere strongly to the latter, so that the coil will be s'ufiiciently tight, but of course the most important function of the magnet or magnets of the block is to hold the forward end of the strip to the block and conform it thereto while the first spiral is formed. This is the most diflicult part of the operation and the only one in which the magnetization of the block is actually necessary, for' after the coiling has once been started the strip will roll up on the rotating block without difliculty. Whenthe apparatus is operated automatically, however, the magnetization of the block 14 continues until the coiling operation is substantially completed. The block must obviously be demagnetized before the metal coil can be removed from it, and

in the form shown, the demagnetization is effected automatically as the rear end of the strip passes out of contact with the rolls 11, 12. This breaks the controlling circuit, 5

whereupon the solenoid switch is actuated to break the; magnetic circuit in an obvious from the rolls, moves or manner. The coil on the block may then be easily removed and the apparatus will then be ready for coiling another strip, the coiling of which will be begim automatically as before, as soon as its forward end, emerging is brought into contact withthe block.

'When itis-desired to coil a strip of brass or other non-magnetic material, the problem issomewhat difi'erent,but the desired result may be obtained without substantial modification of the apparatus as herein before described. Figs. 5 to 8 illustrate this feature of the invention. The strip 13 issuing from the rolls moves or is conducted onto a suitable carrier 37 of magnetic material which is attracted and carried around by the block in such a manner as to confine the non-magnetic strip between it and the block, so that 'the strip is in turn carried around the block by the carrier. The carrier 37 may consist of a fiat steel plate or the like sufiiciently flexible to conform to the surface of the magnetized block as the carrier is attracted to and carried around by the latter. I prefer to mount the block above the plane of the strip in this instance and to support one edge of the carrier 37 on a presser roll 38 mounted directly beneath the block,

presser roll is journaled. This frame 39 is fulcrumed intermediate of its ends at 40 and carries counterweights 41 at the side opposite the roll 38. These counterweights tend to hold the presser roll in contact with the block 14, but the position of the presser roll is regulated by means of a set screw 42 so that it may be held a slight distance away from the block. The carrier 37 being supported beneath the block and in contact therewith, as shown in Fig. 7, the strip 13 will be guided or conducted onto the carrier, and as soon as it touches the carrier the controlling circuit will be closed as before. This will cause the block to be magnetized and the carrier will be drawn toward the .rotating block and will conform itself thereto. As the carrier conforms to the block and moves around with it, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 7, the forward end portion of the strip 14* will ob viously be caught between the carrier and the block and carried completely around the block to form the first layer or spiral. The completion of the coil then follows from the mere rotation of the block.

. If desired, contact between the carrier and block may be effected prior to the coiling operation by means of a lip 43 on one end of the carrier which projects into'contact with the surface of the rotating block, as shown in Fig. 7. This lip also forms a pocket which receives the forward edge of the strip and confines the strip more efl'ectivel in place between the carrier and block. owever, the lip is not an essential part of the carrier, and the form of the carrier as a whole may be varied widely from that diserable variance may be made in the sequence of the several steps as called for by difierent conditions. Various modifications in these and other respects may be adopted within the scope of my invention as expressed in the claims.

I do not claim herein the method or apparatus for coiling or blocking non-magneticmaterial or other matter claimed in my divisional application Serial No. 847979, filed June 29th, 1914:.

What I claim is:

1. In coiling apparatus, the combination of a magnetically controlled block, an energizing circuit therefor, and a controlling circuit for said energizing circuit including the metal strip being coiled, said controlling circuit being closed automatically by contact of the end of the strip with the body of the block; substantially as described.

2. The combination with a rotary block, and means from which the stock may be fed thereto, of electromagnetic means controlled by direct contact of the stock with the body portion of the rotating block for effecting the attachment of the stock to the block; substantially as described.

3. In coiling apparatus, the combination of a rotary block on which the stock is adapted to be attached and wound, means for feeding the stock toward the block, and means comprising an electric circuit including the stock itself and closed by the stock when the forward end of the stock makes contact with the body portion of the block for causing the stock to be attached to the block; substantially as described.

4. In coiling apparatus, the combination of a rotary block, a strip guide in front of the same, means controlled b contact of the forward end of the strip with the body of the block for securing the strip on the block by magnetic attraction, and a resser roller for holding the forward end 0 the strip in contact with the block; substantially as described.

5. In coiling apparatus, the combination of a rotary block, a strip guide in front of the same, means controlled by contact of the forward end of the strip with the body of the block for securing the strip on the block by magnetic attraction, and a resser roller for holding the forward end 0 the strip in contact with the block, said presser roller constructed and arranged to bear on the coil as the same increases in diameter; substantially as described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on the 27th day of December, 1912.

WILLIAM R. WEBSTER. Witnesses:

J. R. WAKEMAN, ARTHUR BREWER. 

